Subject: Re: Freedom of Information / Historical Records Request - Mr. Williams, Cardiff Post Office Engineering Department, 1897 Marconi Lavernock Experiments
From: Sion Buckler
Direction: sent
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:48 UTC
Institution: Glamorgan Archives
Refs: none
Archive id: gm-19f8112711ddb6b8
------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Information Governance Team,

Thank you for your response. To whom am I speaking?

I note your advice that Glamorgan Archives may be the appropriate
repository for historic material. I will contact Glamorgan Archives
separately.

However, I would like to clarify that my request was not limited to
deposited historical archive material.

My request concerns any recorded information held by Cardiff Council and
its predecessor authorities relating to Great House Farm, Llandough (Ty
Mawr), including operational records created or retained by the Council.

Please confirm:

Which Cardiff Council departments were consulted before reaching the
conclusion that Glamorgan Archives was the appropriate route;

Whether searches were carried out within:
- Planning records;
- Building Control records;
- Legal Services records;
- Estates/property records;
- Highways records;
- Environmental/archaeology records;
- Records inherited from former Glamorgan County Council or South Glamorgan
County Council;
- Whether the following search terms were used:

"Great House Farm"
"Ty Mawr"
"Llandough"
"Buckler"
"Williams"
"BP Properties"
"BP Pension Trust"
"Western Ground Rents"

Whether Cardiff Council holds any records relating to:
- the demolition of Great House Farm around 1988;
- planning and development of the replacement housing;
- any inspections, surveys, photographs or reports concerning the site;
- correspondence with BP, their representatives, the Buckler/Williams
family, Cadw, archaeological bodies or other public authorities.

I appreciate Glamorgan Archives may hold historic deposited collections.
However, an archive referral does not confirm whether Cardiff Council
itself holds related administrative records, and I would therefore be
grateful for confirmation of the searches undertaken before this request is
redirected.

Given the age and significance of the records concerned, I would appreciate
this clarification at your earliest convenience.

Kind regards,

Sion Buckler (Ret'd Sgt)
Royal Signals Cyber & Electronic Warfare Professional & Life Member

On Mon, 20 Jul 2026, 05:42 FOI / Rhyddid Gwybodaeth, <[email redacted]>
wrote:

> Good Morning Ms Buckler
>
>
>
> Thank you for your email below.
>
>
>
> We have made some enquiries regarding this, and feel this is best
> responded to by Glamorgan Archives rather then through the Freedom of
> Information process.
>
>
>
> They are aware of this request, and have asked that you make an official
> request through them, they have also agreed this would be best answered by
> them.
>
>
>
> They can be contacted by emailing [email redacted] or phoning (029)
> 2087 2200. Their website can be found by following this link: Home -
> Glamorgan Archives <https://glamarchives.gov.uk/>.
>
>
>
> Thank you again for contacting Cardiff Council, and if you have any
> further queries please don’t hesitate in contacting us.
>
>
>
>
>
> Kind Regards
>
>
>
> *Gwasanaeth Cais am Wybodaeth / Information Request Service*
>
> *Llywodraethu Gwybodaeth / Information Governance*
>
> *Cyngor Caerdydd / Cardiff Council*
>
> Ystafell 118, Neuadd y Sir, Glanfa'r Iwerydd CAERDYDD [postcode redacted]
>
> Room 118, County Hall, Atlantic Wharf CARDIFF [postcode redacted]
>
> Ffôn / Tel: Working From Home
>
> E-bost / Email: [email redacted] / [email redacted]
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* Sion Buckler <[email redacted]>
> *Sent:* 16 July 2026 01:45
> *To:* [email redacted];
> [email redacted]; [email redacted];
> Glamro / Swyddfa Cofnodion Morgannwg <[email redacted]>; FOI /
> Rhyddid Gwybodaeth <[email redacted]>; [email redacted];
> [email redacted]; [email redacted];
> [email redacted]
> *Subject:* Freedom of Information / Historical Records Request - Mr.
> Williams, Cardiff Post Office Engineering Department, 1897 Marconi
> Lavernock Experiments
>
>
>
>  *EXTERNAL:* This email originated from outside Cardiff Council, take
> care when clicking links.
>  *ALLANOL:* Daw'r e-bost hwn o'r tu allan i Gyngor Caerdydd, cymerwch
> ofal wrth glicio ar ddolenni.
>
>
>
>
> Dear Information Rights / Archives Team,
>
> I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act
> 2000 (or equivalent records access) regarding my grandfather, Mr. Williams,
> who worked in the engineering department of the Cardiff Post Office /
> General Post Office around 1897.
>
> Specifically, I seek any records, personnel files, correspondence,
> reports, or mentions confirming his involvement in Guglielmo Marconi’s
> wireless telegraphy experiments at Lavernock Point (including erecting the
> 120-foot pole and related tests to Flat Holm). This relates to contemporary
> newspaper reports from May 1897.
>
> Please provide:
>
>    - Any personnel or service records for Mr. Williams in the Cardiff
>    engineering department circa 1897.
>    - Documents referencing "Mr. Williams" in connection with Marconi’s
>    demonstrations.
>    - Any other relevant historical files from the GPO
>    telegraph/engineering teams.
>
> My full name: Sion Buckler Address: [address redacted], Vale of
> Glamorgan, [postcode redacted]
> [map link redacted]
> Contact: [email redacted] Relationship: Great Grandson
>
> I am ultimately seeking any record about my great grandfather Mr Williams
> of Great House Farm, Llandough, Cardiff (formerly Vale of Glamorgan). Not
> to be confused with Great House Farm, Llandough, Cowbridge, Vale of
> Glamorgan. And his role in the Marconi experiment. And before and after
> Marconis stay with our family in our home in 1897.
>
> I am happy to provide further identification if required. Thank you for
> your assistance.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Sion Buckler (Ret'd Sergeant)
>
> Royal Signals Cyber & Electronic Warfare Professional & Life Member
>
> **********************************************************************
>
> The Council welcomes correspondence in Welsh, English or bilingually. We
> will ensure that we communicate with you in the language of your choice, as
> long as you let us know which you prefer. Corresponding in Welsh will not
> lead to delay.
>
> Privileged/Confidential Information may be contained in this message. If
> you are not the addressee indicated in this message (or responsible for
> delivery of the message to such person), you may not copy or deliver this
> message to anyone. In such case, you should destroy this message and kindly
> notify the sender by reply email. Please advise immediately if you or your
> employer does not consent to Internet email for messages of this kind.
> Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message that do not
> relate to the official business of the Council of the City and County of
> Cardiff shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it. All e-mail
> sent to or from this address will be processed by Cardiff County Councils
> Corporate E-mail system and may be subject to scrutiny by someone other
> than the addressee.
>
> **********************************************************************
>
> Mae’r Cyngor yn croesawu gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg, Saesneg neu’n ddwyieithog.
> Byddwn yn cyfathrebu â chi yn ôl eich dewis, dim ond i chi roi gwybod i ni
> pa un sydd well gennych. Ni fydd gohebu yn Gymraeg yn arwain at oedi.
>
> Mae'n bosibl bod gwybodaeth gyfrinachol yn y neges hon. Os na chyfeirir y
> neges atoch chi'n benodol (neu os nad ydych chi'n gyfrifol am drosglwyddo'r
> neges i'r person a enwir), yna ni chewch gopio na throsglwyddo'r neges.
> Mewn achos o'r fath, dylech ddinistrio'r neges a hysbysu'r anfonwr drwy
> e-bost ar unwaith. Rhowch wybod i'r anfonydd ar unwaith os nad ydych chi
> neu eich cyflogydd yn caniatau e-bost y Rhyngrwyd am negeseuon fel hon.
> Rhaid deall nad yw'r safbwyntiau, y casgliadau a'r wybodaeth arall yn y
> neges hon nad ydynt yn cyfeirio at fusnes swyddogol Cyngor Dinas a Sir
> Caerdydd yn cynrychioli barn y Cyngor Sir nad yn cael sel ei fendith. Caiff
> unrhyw negeseuon a anfonir at, neu o'r cyfeiriad e-bost hwn eu prosesu gan
> system E-bost Gorfforaethol Cyngor Sir Caerdydd a gallant gael eu
> harchwilio gan rywun heblaw'r person a enwir.
>
> **********************************************************************
>